A/n: Anyways thank you so much for reading, reviewing, following and/or favoriting. Thank you so much to ayosb2000 VegasGranny, hectatess, and LilyBolt for your reviews. You guys are awesome and appreciate your thoughts and time.
Chapter 20
"Why is this on us?" Dean asked looking away from the book that had been holding his attention off and on for a few hours. Sam who had been sitting across from him with his right elbow resting on the table while his head rested in his hand and his own eyes fixed on a different book in front of him, looked over at his sibling.
"What do you mean?" The room had been mostly quiet, with the exception of the sound of pages turning and occasional sound of someone adjusting themselves, the book, or clearing their throat.
"I mean why do we have to be the ones that save the world? Why can't someone else do it? Why do we have to be the heroes?"
"Because we're the only ones who know about it," Sam offered. "Because you're the 'Michael Sword' and I'm the...the true vessel of Lucifer and we are the ones that will be used to bring on the apocalypse if we don't." Dean cringed at the word's "Michael Sword" and "Lucifer," but nodded in response.
"Fair enough. Except for it's not fair at all." Sam scoffed and looked back down at the pages before him. "I mean what did we do to deserve this?" It hadn't been his brother's words that brought his eyes to fall back on him, but his tone.
"We didn't do anything," the younger man answered gently.
"No we had to have done something. What? Is it because I'm not a believer of the Big G? Is it because of the past? Because of Mom's past?"
"None of that has to do with it Dean. We just, I don't know, got delt a shitty hand."
The older Winchester nodded in a way that told Sam he was both angry and sad. "This is exactly why I don't believe. If 'God' is really out there, then he's the biggest dick ever. How could he let the world go literally to Hell, and do nothing? I mean if he's the 'Almighty', why doesn't he put an end to all this? Why is the world the way it is? Murder, monsters, destruction, betrayal, why?"
Sam's eyes lowered and he shook his head, with a sigh he answered "I don't know, Dean."
"Well, why do you believe?"
Sam swallowed and took an inaudible breath. "Because...I have to." The older sibling opened his mouth but realization set in and he closed it again.
"You don't deserve all this shit Sammy," Dean said breaking the silence once again. "You're a raging pain in the ass sometimes, but you don't deserve any of this."
Sam lowered his arm and raised his head. "No one deserves it Dean. That's not what this is about. It has nothing to do with it. It's just the way that it is, you know? We just have to, I don't know, make the best of it."
"Hot damn," Bobby's voice sounded reminding both Winchesters they weren't alone.
"You got something Bobby?" Sam asked hopefully.
"A few things actually. First and foremost, I now know what can kill an angel."
"Which is?" Dean asked.
"An angel blade, used by another angel."
"So only angels can kill angels?" The older brother asked for clarification. The hunter nodded. "Great."
"But we can do somethin'," Bobby added placing the book down on the table so both Sam and Dean could see what he had found. "You draw one of these usin' blood and it'll zap'em back to Heaven."
"An angelic bug zapper," the older Winchester commented. "That's pretty useful."
"It's not so much a bug zapper as an angelic time out," Bobby explained. "But it'll give us time to run."
"At least someone out there knew about angels," Sam said.
"And that's not all," the hunter turned the page. "There's depowering spells, angel proofing, and trapping."
"Well," Dean smiled. "Merry Christmas to us."
"It's definitely a start," Bobby agreed. "But so far I think most if not all of this only works on angels like Zechariah and Castiel, not archangels like Michael and Lucifer."
"Still useful," Dean replied. Sam throw his brother a look of disapproval.
"Castiel isn't bad Dean. He's helped us a couple of times now."
"Doesn't mean I can't be prepared," his brother countered. When Sam continued to scowl at him, he went on. "We don't know exactly how helpful he's actually been or is being. He can't even tell us why he's 'helping' us. What's stopping him from changing his mind again?"
"Not every supernatural being is evil," the younger sibling said.
"Oh yeah? How would you know?" Sam looked at Dean sadly. "You don't-you aren't a supernatural thing Sam. Ok?"
"No? So me being part demon doesn't make me a 'thing?'" The older Winchester shook his head and scrubbed a hand over his face.
"That's different."
"How?" Dean shook his head and looked back down at the book in front of him. "No, really. How is that different?" Sam demanded trying to get his brother's attention back. Dean gave in and looked back at Sam with a serious expression.
"Because you're human."
"I'm a 'blood sucker', remember?"
"Oh come on Sam," the older sibling rolled his eyes frustrated.
"Hey, you said it," Sam countered.
"Boys," Bobby interjected before another fight could break out. "We're gettin' sidetracked here."
"Right." Dean pushed himself from the table and got to his feet. Without another glance, he started off towards the motel room door.
"Dean, where are you going?" The younger man gave an exasperated sigh.
"I need a break." Dean closed the door behind him leaving the hunter and his brother staring after him.
XXX
The following day consisted of more reading on Sam and Bobby's part, and flipping through the channels on Dean's. He hadn't said much to either of them since he had returned to the motel room yesterday and having found out some information on angels, he didn't see much reason as to why he should have to keep reading. They got lucky that they found a book on angels, but he knew there was no chance that they would get even luckier and find anything about how to stop the ending of the world or how to deal with a brother being part demon. He glanced in Sam's direction a few times, checking to see if he looked like he was going to have another episode. He caught him pinching his shirt and fanning it a few times, but other than that, he seemed normal.
He was just about to flip through the few offered channels for what had to have been the two hundredth time, when a loud knock brought all eyes in the room to fall on the door. Bobby was up before Dean and made his way over to it. He peered through the peephole and then threw open the door. A man who looked about the same age as Bobby, give or take a few years, and a young blonde stood looking just as exhausted as they were.
"Well it's about time," the hunter snapped at the other man as they entered the room. Bobby quickly closed and locked the door behind them.
"Wisconsin Bobby," retorted the man who both brothers now assumed had been the man that had been on the other line yesterday. "Had you been home like you should be, we coulda already have done this hours ago yesterday."
"Jo," the hunter acknowledged with a curt nod "good to see ya." The girl hadn't heard the greeting however, her eyes had been glued to Dean who was staring back in return.
"Can I help you Sweetheart?" He asked her.
"You...how?" Her dark eyes moved from the older Winchester to Bobby looking for an explanation.
"Make yerselves at home," the hunter beckoned.
"Would that we could Bobby, but this ain't a social call," the man said.
"Rufus, the day you stop by for a social call will be the day farm animals sprout wings."
"Chickens have wings," Rufus countered.
"What was so important you had to come anyways?" Bobby asked ignoring the other man's words.
"Yeah yeah, alright." He opened his jacket and removed what looked like an old large piece of cloth from it. Jo had returned her gaze to Dean who was eyeing her back part suspicious part interested.
"Dean, Sam, this is Rufus and you remember Jo."
It was as if hearing the other Winchester brother's name had made him appear to the young woman. Immediately her attention snapped from Dean to Sam and fire rose within her dark eyes. She quickly made her way towards the younger brother, her hand reaching back to the waistband of her jeans. Dean caught a glimpse of what was unmistakably a handgun and jumped to his feet. She almost had it out completely before he managed to grab the arm that contained the weapon, and yanked it down.
"What the hell?" He growled.
"Jo," Bobby came over towards her. Sam sat looking startled at the scene before him.
"Get off me!" She yelled trying to pull her arm free of Dean's grip, he held on tighter.
"You were about to pull a gun on my brother, you really think I'm gonna just let you go?"
"You're brother is the reason my mom and dad are dead!" Her eyes began to water but the fire never left them as she spat her words like venom at Sam. The younger Winchester's eyes grew sympathetic and his brow furrowed.
"What?" His voice was small and his hazel gaze moved to his friend for clarification.
"Jo, it wasn't Sam's fault," the hunter spoke calmly.
"Bullshit Bobby!" Her eyes never left Sam. "If he'd never showed up at the Roadhouse, I'd still have them!"
"Ellen and Bill are dead?" Sam questioned still in a small voice.
"What do you care?" She scoffed. "You got what you wanted."
"What? I never wanted-"
"And you," she turned to Dean. "I thought you were dead."
"Excuse me?"
"You lied to me Bobby?"
"Jo, calm down and let me explain. Dean, let her go. She won't hurt Sam, I promise," the hunter instructed. "Don't be so sure," she hissed. The two continued to stare at one another a bit longer before the older brother gave her one last warning look and reluctantly released the young woman's arm.
"First of all, Sam didn't have any part of that, you know that. Yer folks knew there was a possibility they weren't gonna return when they agreed to help go up against demons. Secondly, you're not the only one who lost family that night. Both Mary and Dean didn't make it either." Dean bowed his head at the memory while Sam's eyes shone. Jo looked over at the older brother again.
"He looks fine to me," she replied shortly.
"That's a whole other story that's none of your business."
"Dean," Sam said disapproval in his tone, but Dean kept his eyes fixed on the young woman.
"Fuck you. My family went out of their way to help you and your brother and now they're gone and here you are alive after I was told you were dead. I think I'm owed an explanation." It was silent for awhile before he answered.
"Look, I honestly don't even know who you are, but I wasn't me back then." His tone was less hostile. "I was possessed." The flame in her eyes went out but she continued to keep a serious expression. "I uh, I managed to break its hold on me, but not in time. I killed my mom," his voice shook. His name being said was only audible due to the silence that had fallen over the room. He ignored it once again. "Then I regained myself again and shot the bastard killing him along with me." Jo was no longer able to look into the older Winchester's eyes and instead brought them down to the floor. "I don't remember you or your parents and I don't know what part they played that night, but I know what it feels like to lose family. I'm sorry." All eyes were on Dean and Jo as they stood with her eyes on the floor and his on her.
"I hate to break up this sharing and caring moment, but we're on a time crunch here," Rufus said breaking the silence and unwrapping the cloth and placing it on the table on top of the book Sam had been reading before they had arrived. Everyone's attention shifted to the reveal of what had brought the two to their motel room in the first place. With the fabric removed, a stone slab now sat with etched markings all over it.
"What is it?" Dean asked walking over to get a closer look. Sam stared at it with eyes wide.
"It looks like some kinda tablet," Bobby commented looking over it.
"Uh huh. I'll leave this in your capable hands then Bobby," Rufus responded clapping the other man on the shoulder and turning to leave. "Call me when you've got something."
"You're just gonna drop off and ditch this thing on me?"
"Pretty much."
"Gee, thanks."
"You're the research and read guy," Rufus said with a shrug.
"Research and read? Rufus, I can't read squat on this thing."
"You'll figure it out. I'd do it soon too if I was you, I'm not entirely sure we weren't followed."
"Thanks a lot you son of a bitch," Bobby snapped.
"Anytime. You comin' Harvelle?" He looked over at the young blonde who tucked her gun back into her waistband again and with one last look she and Rufus were gone, leaving Bobby, Sam, and Dean to stare puzzled at the object before them.
A/n: Thank you for reading.